Obstruction Collection

As an attempt to get creative, I'm compiling a list of obstructions. Let me explain. In the Lars Von Trier film The Five Obstructions, the director challenges one of his film heroes, Jorgen Leth, to recreate his own short film The Perfect Human, five different times, each with rigid restrictions set forth by Von Trier. Check out the trailer here. The film is inspiring. Perhaps Von Trier was trying to see if his hero would fail with these restrictions, but he actually comes away with brilliant results.

I enjoy creating with limitations and some of my favorite projects have been from a result of having a limited pallet. So I'm trying to come up with a list of (hopefully) a couple hundred obstructions that can be applied to short film projects specifically. I was inspired by The Five Obstructions as well as Brian Eno and Peter Schmidt's Oblique Strategies Cards. And my friend Senta does something similar on her blog every week where she makes an illustration based on a single word.

I've started a list of about 30 or 40. Here is a selection of some of the obstructions I have so far:

Tell a story in 10 seconds or less
No edits, all one take in camera
Use only shadows
Focus on something embarrasing
Adapt someone else’s dream

The idea is to pick 2 or 3 randomly and combine them, unless they contradict one another of course, then create something new on a regular basis. Maybe once every couple weeks. Who knows? I am still compiling the list, and I'm open to any of your suggestions. I would really like to hear them. So please respond. Thanks.